Playing led to leading

Friday, November 09, 2007

If not for a couple of knee injuries four decades ago, North Carolina's Butch Davis and N.C. State's Tom O'Brien might not be meeting Saturday for a new chapter of a century-old rivalry. After all, much of who they are as coaches now -- Davis a detailed motivator, O'Brien a disciplined leader -- was established during their playing days, when five knee surgeries forced Davis to the sideline at Arkansas, while an injury to a teammate pushed O'Brien into Navy's starting lineup. (Raleigh News & Observer)